Mechanical toy



Jan. 21, 1947. t g 2,414,716

MECHANICAL TOY Fileii Dec. 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lawrence .E-Ear-5017 WM/MMQ Jan. 21,- 1947. r 1 c s v 2,414,716

7 MECHANICAL TOY' Filed Dec. 15 1944 2 SheetS -Sheet 2 [J7 val-12 271"Laurence 3. 55215017 Patented Jan. 21, 1947 MECHANICAL TOY Lawrence E.Carson, Alhambra, Calif., assignor to Rgagig Toy Company, Chicago,3111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 15, 1944, SerialNo. 568,261 '2 Claims. (01. 46-31) This invention relates to mechanicaltoys of the type in which various forms and structures are assembledwith preformed pieces of different shapes and sizes; and the generalpurpose of the invention is to provide a combination of pieces andconnectors of maximum simplicity and capable of easy and simpleassemblage in a large variety of forms. More specifically, the inventionrelates particularly, among other things, to connective formations andmembers, to provide a connective unit which is extremely simple andcapable of assembly in a large varietyof relative arrangements so as toallow assembly of adjacent pieces in a great variety of relativepositions.

The invention will be best understood from the following description andthe accompanying illustrations of preferred embodiments, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective of atypical assemblage utilizing my connective unit;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of another typical assemblage;

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective illustrating a fragment of another typicalassemblage;

Fig. 5 is a detail section as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective illustrating another typical assemblage, and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating a modified connectorformation.

The assemblage elements which I here term pieces may be provided in agreat varietyof forms and in any suitable number. The number ofdifferent forms, and the number of pieces of each of those forms whichgo to make up a building set may be greatly varied. In the accompanyingdrawings I do not attempt to show all of the possible forms which thepieces may take, but only enough to show their general characteristicsand to illustrate a few of the possible typical assemblages.

The preferred common characteristics .of each of the pieces include thefollowing: The pieces, for instance the pieces designated H), 'll, 12 inFig. 3, are made from a relatively flat thin piece of any suitablematerial; for instance, of wood or composition material, fibrousmaterial or molded plastic. At its side edges, and/or at its ends, eachpiece has assembly tongues it which are typically formed between twoslots N that may be formed by slotting or sawing or molding operations.Preferably the tongues have their outer corners beveled as illustratedat 5 to facilitate assemblage operations; Likewise the tongues may betapered from their bases to their tips if desired. And preferably,although not necessarily, the tongues have a width dimension (as seen inthe aspect of the left-hand piece I!) in Fig. 3) considerably greaterthan their thickness dimension, which is the thickness of the piece (asseen in the sectional showing of the right-hand piece l2 in Fig. 3). Andpreferably all of the pieces, or most of them, have central holes Hi.

The described tongues form one element of a connective unit, the otherelement of which is formed by a flexible tubular member 28, of suitablelength, and composed of some relatively flexible and preferably somewhatresilient material, such as a pliable plastic. Pliable tubing of thematerial known as Tenite (a cellulose acetate) or Vinylite (a vinylresin) is suitable. It is readily pliable and has a low resiliency andmodulus of elasticity. A material of that nature is the preferredmaterial, although a pliable material with high resiliency such asrubber tubing can be used. The primary requisite is pliability,preferably with some resiliency. The tubing is here shown as cylindric,but it may be eliptic, or polygonal (e. g. square or hexagonal) insectional form. As will be seen, it is deformed and stretched incross-section when applied to the tongues, so although cylindric tubingis preferable it is not necessary.

For making such connections as are shown in Fig. 3 connective elements20 comprising short pieces of such tubing are used, the length of thepieces being approximately, or more or less exactly, twice the lengthdimensions of tongues 13, so that when the parts are assembled, as shownin Fig. 3, the adjacent edges of the pieces will either contact eachother or come quite close to each other. The connector 29 shown at theleft in Fig. 3 is shown as connecting two adjacent pieces in the sameplane and in edge abutting relation. At the right hand side of Fig. 3the connecting element 20 is shown as fitted over a tongue l3 at oneapex of the triangular piece ll and as extending through the centralhole [6 f circular piece 12.

As I have stated, tongues l3 are preferably wider than they are thick.In any case they are rectangular in cross-sectional configuration; andtheir transverse dimensions are such that the flexible "tubing isstretched and deformed from its normal circular form when the tubingelement is forced over the tongue. An illustration of this is given inFig. 7. There the tongue is shown at I3 in the preferred-formconsider-ably wider than it is thick. The flexible tubing element20a is shown flattened in the plane of the tongue, stretched out in thatplane by being forced upon the tongue. In other words, the effectivewidth dimension of the tongue is greater than the internal diameter ofthe pliable tubing, so that the pliable tubing must be stretched andflattened to fit it over the tongue. Consonantly, if the tongue wererelatively thicker but still rectangular in cross sectionalconfiguration, the diagonal dimension of the tongue cross section willbe greater than the internal diameter of the pliable tubme, so that thetubing must be distorted in fitting it over the tongue.

The foregoing provisions, the relation between the dimensions of thetongue and those of the pliable tubing, is one of th characteristicswhich is conducive to ease of assembly, to assembly of adjacent piecesin any desired relation, and particularly conducive to doing away withany great required accuracy in the manufacture of the parts, and withtheir manufacture from high grade materials. As will be readilyunderstood, no great accuracy is required in the relation between thedimensions of the tongue and those of the flexible tubing, because ofthe range through which the tubing can be stretched and flattened infitting it over the tongue. Consequently, within reasonabl limits,relatively poor materials can be used for the several tongued pieces,and no great accuracy is required in forming the tongues.

The material of the tubing element 28, of such materials as described,is not only flexible but also compressible and extensible. holes I6 inthe several pieces are made to a size which will diametrally compressthe tubing element 20 but at the same time be not difficult to forceover that element. Here again, no great accuracy is necessary in thedimensioning of holes 16.

Fig. 1 shows a typical assemblage of several pieces of different shapes,interconnected by the tubular connector elements 28 in the manners whichhave been described. The assemblage includes rectangular pieces I0,triangular pieces II, circular pieces I2, square pieces 9, and diamondshaped pieces 8. The general method and manner of assembly will beunderstood, without further explanation, from what has been said inconnection with Fig. 3. Fig. 1 however illustrates one assemblagefeature which is inherent in the structure of the connector unit andwhich is not shown in Fig. 3; namely, that two adjacent pieces whichhave their connector tongues interconnected by a tubular element 20 maybe assembled to lie in any desired relative plane. For instance thediamond pieces 8a which are shown assembled around the circular piece I211 in Fig. 1, are assembled in planes which are at right angles to theplane of H11. And the square pieces 9a which are assembled directlyadjacent diamond pieces 8a are in relatively right-angled planes. Thetwo diamond pieces 8b which are assembled adjacent the rectangular pieceIilb are shown as lying in planes somewhat oblique to the plane of pieceIiib; and the square pieces 9b which are shown as assembled around thecentral circular piece I2 (in representation of a windmill) are shownassembled in planes oblique to the plane of circular piece I2. Ingeneral, any two adjacent pieces which have their tongues interconnectedby a tubular element as can be assembled tolie in any of two relativeplanes which intersect each other on the axis of the tubular element.

The central Fig. 2 illustrates another one of many typical assemblages,in this case to simulate a chair. A square piece 90 forms the seat andtwo diamond pieces 8c form the sides, with connector elements fittedover side tongues of the seat piece and through the central holes of theside pieces. The lower part of the chair back is formed by a rectangularpiece I 00, secured to the back edge of the seat by connector element 30which fits over a tongue on the back edge of the seat piece and throughthe central hole of piece I00. The upper part of the back is formed by ahexagonal iece 10 which is aifixed to the upper edge of I00 by aconnector element 20 fitted over tongues of the two pieces; and rearbrace pieces are formed by triangular pieces IIc connected by otherconnector elements 20 fitted over tongues of pieces I I0 and 80.

Fig. 6 shows a simple assemblage utilizing a tubular connector element20d longer than those previously described. Here the assemblagesimulates a pair of wheels and an axle; a pair of circular pieces IZdwith the long tubular connector element 28d inserted through their twocentral holes.

The longer tubular connector elements may be used not only as connectorsbut also as long structural elements. See Fig. 4 which illustrates afragment of an assemblage simulating a framed and braced structure Lowersquare pieces 9e are connected by a long rectangular piece I06 and twoshort tubular connectors 206 which fit over tongues on 9e and 20e. Uppersquare pieces 9e are similarly interconnected. Pairs of upper and lowersquare pieces 20c are interconnected by long tubular connectors 20]fitted over their tongues. I

Diagonal bracing is supplied by a circular piece I2e and diagonallydisposed long tubular connectors 28f fitted over corner tongues of thesquares and the radial tongues of the circle. The assemblage so fardescribed forms one of say four structural panels which may be arrangedin vertical planes to form a hollow cubical structure. Only one completepanel and a part of another are shown in Fig. 4. At the corners of theassembled structure, corner connections may be formed as shown in Figs.4 and 5, utilizing a special angle piece 25 which has tongues I3e. Apair of short tubular connectors 20 are fitted over tongues I3e and overappropriate tongues i3 on the square pieces 9e.

In the upper part of Fig. 4 a sub-assemblage is shown consisting of ahexagonal piece 7e, two

long tubular connectors 20 two special pieces 26 and two short tubularconnectors 29, assembled as illustrated. Special pieces 20 have tonguesI31 at their ends, the axes of the two tongues of each piece making amutual angle of about 45.

Fig. 7 illustrates another use of a relatively long tubular connector.The tube being flexible, it can easily be bent, particularly in a planeat right angles to the planes in which it is flattened by fitting overtongues I3. Thus such a long connector may be used as an angularconnector between tongues I3 which are arranged in such an angulararrangement as is shown in Fig. '7.

I claim:

1. A mechanical toy of the assemblage type,

comprising a plurality of pieces of predetermined shapes, and connectiveunits for connectively assembling the pieces, each connective unitconsisting of tongues of non-circular cross-section formed on the edgesof two pieces, and a tubular connective element of deformable materialand than the internal diameter of the tubular ele ment, the tubularelement being of such material vand thickness as to be adapted to beforced over the tongues and thereby deformed in cross section so as togrip the tongues.

2. A mechanical toy of the assemblage type,

comprising a plurality of fiat pieces of predetermined shapes, andconnective units for connectively assembling the pieces, each connectiveunit 6 consisting of relatively thin flat tongues formed on the edges oftwo pieces, and a tubular connec tive element of deformable material andof internal diameter less than the efiective Width of the tongues, thethickness dimension of the tongues being substantially less than theinternal diameter of the tubular element, the tubular element being ofsuch material and thickness as to be adapted to be forced over thetongues and thereby deformed in cross-section so as to grip the tongues.

LAWRENCE E. CARSON.

